1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to teeing golf balls and more specifically to an automatic golf ball placement device which accurately places a golf ball on every type of tee or playing surface.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Currently, there are numerous designs of automatic golf ball placement apparatuses. However, there are many drawbacks to these prior art designs. First, most of the automatic golf ball placement apparatuses are large and may not be transported by a user. Second, most of the automatic golf ball placement apparatuses are complicated and have numerous moving parts. The more parts in a device the lower the reliability thereof. Third, most of the automatic golf ball placement apparatuses are not able to place a golf ball on every type of tee, because of their lack of accuracy. If fact, many require special tees, because their lack of accuracy.
Fourth, many automatic ball placement apparatuses are not truly automatic, they require that the user trigger the ball placement in some way. Fifth, many of the automatic ball placement apparatuses are powered AC and not DC. If an electrical outlet is not available, they cannot be used. Sixth, automatic ball placement apparatuses which are truly automatic happen to be very slow. The fastest automatic ball placement apparatus has a five second time interval between ball placements. Seventh, it appears that no portable automatic ball placement apparatus exists which detects when a ball has been hit and replaces the hit ball with another ball. Eighth, due to the complexity of prior art automatic ball placement apparatuses, their corresponding manufacturing cost is also high.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for an automatic golf ball placement device which may be easily transported by a user, does not have a complicated construction, and is accurate enough to place a golf ball on every type of tee.
The present invention provides an automatic golf ball dispensing device which may be easily transported by a user. The automatic golf ball dispensing device includes a base, motor, drive link, slide arm, pivot arm, control circuit, dispenser cover, and handle. The base preferably includes two pivot feet on one end and an adjustable foot on the other end thereof. Other leveling devices may be used besides the two pivot feet and the adjustable foot. One end of a drive arm is attached to the shaft of the motor. The other end of the drive arm is pivotally attached to a first end of the drive link. A second end of the drive link is pivotally attached to a second end of the slide arm. The slide arm is slidably attached to a top of the base. A ball stop is formed on a first end of the slide arm and a notch is formed under the ball stop. A first end of the pivot arm is sized to fit under the notch such that the pivot arm is level relative to the top of the base.
A ball support extends from a first end of the pivot arm. A knock down pin extends outward from a second end of the pivot arm. A bottom of the dispenser cover is attached to a top of the base. A dispensing cavity is formed in the dispenser cover to retain a plurality of golf balls and to align the golf balls to be dropped into the ball support. The handle is pivotally attached to a top of the dispenser cover.
The automatic golf ball dispensing device operates in the following manner. A plurality of golf balls are placed in the dispensing cavity. The first golf ball will rest in the ball support. The adjustable foot is adjusted to accommodate the tee height or the height of the resting surface. The control circuit may be operated in three different modes. In the first mode, the golf ball is placed after a piezo sensor detects a vibration from tapping or impact. In the second mode, the golf ball is placed according to a user defined time interval. In the third mode, a sensor detects when the golf ball is hit by a golf club and then places another golf ball.
The control circuit enables the motor to rotate. The rotation of the motor causes the drive arm to rotate. The drive arm forces the slide arm and the pivot arm outward from an opening in the first end of the dispensing cover. When the ball support is near a fully extended distance from the first end of the dispensing cover, the motion of the drive arm will cause the second end of the drive link to raise upward. A pin notch on the second of the drive link will lift the knock down pin of the pivoting arm. The ball support will lower and then withdraw from under the golf ball with out moving thereof. The ball support will return to a fully retracted position and wait for the motor to be powered.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device which is easily transported by a user.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device which has a compact size.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device which has few moving parts.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device which has a low power operating requirement that allows thereof to be operated by batteries.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device which allows a ball to be placed at a particular time interval.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device which allows a ball to be placed at a faster time interval than that of the prior art.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device which senses when the ball has been hit and replaces the hit ball with another ball.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser device with a manufacturing cost which is lower than that of the prior art.
Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic golf ball dispenser which is accurate enough to place a golf ball on any type of tee.
These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.